Snagging that Big Idea

Thinking creative ideas is one thing but finding the best idea of them all—the big idea—is another. Ideas don’t just flow continuously out of a person’s mind. Nor can it be forced to come out by just sitting on a desk while chewing on a pen cap staring into the corporate abyss. As an advertising agency, we at Alchemy Advertising recognize the difficulties that the creative team comes across when brainstorming ideas. Here are some tips on how to snag that big idea!

Research

If you haven’t collected your thoughts yet and don’t know where to start, you could always begin with research. This is the most basic and safest way to snatch that big idea. If you know a lot about your topic and your brand, then you could mentally select the places where you can focus on.

Don’t over think.

Once you’ve been briefed about the requirements of a campaign, it’s okay to do let your mind relax and drift away from the topic. Rarely can people come up with brilliant ideas on the spot, but for most people they cannot pressure an idea to magically pop up. Clear up your mind of all the stress. It’s better to start working on a campaign with a relaxed state with an open mind.

Talk to people with the same creative mindset.

Hear what other people have in mind, learn about their ideas and study the way how they perceive things and their attempts in solving a problem similar to what you have. By expanding your horizons and collaborating ideas with diverse minds, you are developing your own train of thought towards a successful big idea.

Get up!

Doing something physical while working on a problem releases stress. Try stretching, walking, or simply taking the stairs. Through exercise you improve the blood circulation of your body. Physical work provides your mind of the mental space it needs to incubate ideas.

Slow and steady works.

Once the eureka moment comes, don’t use it right away. Resist the temptation of using the first raw idea. Think of all the possible ways how you can alter the idea to make it better.

Push yourself a little.

A little bit of pressure makes you work faster instead of being stuck on one problem for decades. It’s good to relax and not be stressed when thinking of an idea but you must also keep in mind that in reality, you have a deadline to follow.

Just start.

If you’ve done everything listed above and you still don’t have an idea, just sit in front of your computer and start typing everything that you learned. Write about how you see the brand, how you feel about it and how other people would feel if they used it. Identify problems related to the brand and search for unique ways and attitudes that solve the problem.

Remember, there is no linear process of thought when it comes to creativity. You could start at number 1 and skip 2-5. It’s normal for ideas to jumble and re-organize themselves. What matters is that you’re doing something to cultivate it every minute. In the end, you’ll have that big idea and you won’t let it go.